The Bees looked to start brightly in front of the Bee Army and had the better of the early exchanges, with Harry Taylor having our best chance on three minutes as he headed Ephron Mason-Clark’s cross just wide. 

The team traded corners, before the Bees went close again after Themis Kefalas met an Anthony Wordsworth corner, but his header dropped wide of the upright.

The Magpies had an opening of their own on 20 minutes, but Adam Parkes was equal to the strike from Daniel Orsi.

Despite the Bees continuing to run the game, it became a pretty scrappy affair towards the back end of the half and despite the best efforts of Mason-Clark, the teams headed into the break level on a chilly spring evening in North London.

Simon Bassey’s Bees came flying out the traps for the second half and got their reward just 12 minutes into the second half, as Harry Taylor netted his first ever Barnet goal on his 151st appearance. The Bees academy graduate picked the ball up on the edge of the box before finding the space to lash an effort into the back of the net. It couldn’t have been a more fitting moment on a night where fans returned to The Hive London. 

It only took eight minutes for the Bees to a second goal and what a goal it was, Sam Skeffington delightfully turned in the centre of the pitch, before finding Tomi Adeloye who held up brilliantly, he played in Wordsworth who made no mistake with a sweeping finish from ten yards out. 

The buoyant Bees continued to pile on the pressure and only a double save denied the Bees from a third, as first Wordsworth sent a stinging effort goalwards, before Mason-Clark saw an effort saved by the ‘keepers legs. 

The fans were simply superb as the game went on and barring a couple of Maidenhead corners, it was mostly one way traffic in the second forty-five. 

There was almost gloss added to the evening after good work from Mason-Clark found Michael Petrasso with the goal at his mercy, but his diving header went agonisingly past the post. 

All in all, it was the perfect night to welcome the Bee Army back to The Hive London and it was a richly deserved three points for the Bees, who took the acclaim of the fans at the end of the match. 

ATT: 562 

Barnet: Parkes, Vaughan, Richards-Everton, Nugent, Beard, Skeffington (McBurnie 82′), Wordsworth (Petrasso 72′), Mason-Clark, Kefalas, Taylor, Adeloye (Walker 72′). 

Subs not used: Callan, Vasiliou.